


Imperfections

by blitzturtles



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Body Dysphoria, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, M/M, Panic Attacks, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9809501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blitzturtles/pseuds/blitzturtles
Summary: Lance is having some trouble with his own scars.





	

Lance stands in front of the mirror in his bedroom, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. His fingers run over a small scar just under his ribcage on the right side. It isn’t even all that impressive. Maybe two inches in length and a couple of millimeters wide, but the damaged tissue is abnormally thick throughout, causing the scar to be raised in a way that makes it stick out more than the others.

And there are plenty of others now.

He’s painful aware of that fact, having turned this into something of a ritual. Tracing every scar he an reach until he’s thoroughly disgusted with himself. He tries so hard to take care of his skin, and the healing pods usually fix things up nice and clean. But sometimes....

A pair of arms snake around his waist. “Stop doing that,” Keith says, voice firm but gentle.

“Can’t.”

He doesn’t mean to be contrary. Doesn’t mean to draw attention to something so _pathetic_. There are worse things in the universe. Hell, his teammates have been through worse. At least he has all four of his limbs, and his family is back home, safe and sound. He’s just a brat. Whining over a handful of scars.

But he can’t help it. Every time he sees them, he feels visceral disgust. Sometimes it’s worse. A kind of hatred that makes him want to tear the skin away completely.

Keith’s hands grab at his gently, holding tightly. His breath is warm on the back of Lance’s neck. It’s a slight comfort to the pain that settles in his chest. He feels like he might be dying. Breathing becomes a lot harder all the sudden, and he wants to laugh at himself. How _fucking_ pathetic.

“I have you,” Keith says. _Promises._ Keith won’t go anywhere, and he needs Lance to understand that. “I’m here. Try to breathe, yeah? Slow and steady. ‘m not going anywhere.”

Lance nods, or, at least, he thinks he does. He can’t tell. His vision is wrong. Black around the edges. He can’t focus on the mirror at all. Keith presses closer, following the curve of Lance’s spine.

It takes a few more minutes of Keith whispering the same few words in every imaginable order, but Lance manages to calm down enough to avoid a full blown panic attack.

They’re both quiet for a few minutes. Then, because Keith doesn’t know what else to do, he points out the obvious, “I have scars, too. A lot of them, actually. And Shiro-”

“It’s different.”

It’s not, but it _is_.

Keith doesn’t argue with him. Insecurity is a bitch, and he knows that Lance struggles. Problem is, Keith’s not that great at words. Never has been. Shiro had always been good at peptalks. Making people feel better about themselves. Keith has always had a tendency to screw all that up, and somehow make it worse at the same time.

“I love you,” he blurts out without thinking. Hardly the first time they’ve said those words, but he doesn’t immediately regret it the way he regrets his earlier comment, so he keeps on. “I love you. No matter what. You know that, right? ‘cause I do.” He presses a kiss to Lance’s neck.

Another few minutes pass, but Lance finally turns around in Keith’s grasp, burying his face in Keith’s hair. Keith doesn’t think twice about moving one of his hands to cradle the back of Lance’s head. His heart aches from the misery that pours off Lance in a way that seems tangible. 

“Thanks,” Lance whispers, eventually.

Keith lets a small smile form, “Any time.”

**Author's Note:**

> so, i heard we needed more klangst? idk. hmu on tumblr (@blitzturtle) to talk about headcanons, prompt ideas, and general nonsense!


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